Man charged in San Jose murder of economics professor

Eddie Ruiz, 28, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the slaying of David Moglen, a South Bay economics instructor.

Eddie Ruiz, 28, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the slaying of David Moglen, a South Bay economics instructor.

Photo: San Jose Police Department

Photo: San Jose Police Department

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Eddie Ruiz, 28, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the slaying of David Moglen, a South Bay economics instructor.

Eddie Ruiz, 28, was arrested on suspicion of murder in the slaying of David Moglen, a South Bay economics instructor.

Photo: San Jose Police Department

Man charged in San Jose murder of economics professor

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A 28-year-old San Jose man was charged with murder in the July shooting death of a South Bay community college instructor, prosecutors said Thursday.

Eddie Ruiz is suspected of killing David Moglen — an associate professor of economics at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills and at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose — the night of July 28 in an apparent robbery attempt.

Moglen, 37, was sitting in his car near Willow and First streets in San Jose when a stranger opened the door and demanded his wallet and identification, according to a report written by Detective Wayne Smith and included in court records. Moglen took out his wallet, and a struggle quickly ensued between the two men, according to the report.

Moglen tried to chase the suspect as he ran away, but the gunman turned around and shot him in the chest, according to the records.

Several eyewitnesses, a tipster and video surveillance footage led to Ruiz’s arrest last month in Los Altos Hills, but police said they have been waiting for witnesses to make statements before announcing the development. Ruiz was charged Oct. 11 with murder and illegal firearm use.

Ruiz was not charged with robbery, said Santa Clara County prosecutor Lance Daugherty, who added that the charges could change. He faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Moglen, who was a married father with two young daughters, started college at age 15 and earned his master’s degree in economics by 21. In addition to editing two textbooks and producing a rap album, he frequently blogged about his belief in progressive economics — the idea of using government intervention to correct inequality and market failings.

For more than a decade, Moglen taught economics at various community colleges, including De Anza, West Valley and Mission. He had been teaching a summer course at Foothill when he was killed.